elliej2083

Did you really just say that a good education will not help our students EASDFAILSUS? That the district should hire whoever shows up on the doorstep? I have never heard of anything so ridiculous in my life.

I'd like to see a printout of all district spending for the past year just to compare the numbers an uninformed Ms. McGinley seems to bring up. People should support the teachers' union in the case; if not, their union will be the next under attack for trying to negotiate wages and commitments that are fair. Opening the contract breaches the union's right to collective bargaining; what does a contract mean if it is simply "forced" open by the other side? It loses its meaning and becomes a flimsy piece of paper.

These people are teaching the future of our community. We wouldn't dare suggest their doctors take a pay cut because we would be left with only second-rate doctors, yet we suggest that the people to whom we entrust our children every day be paid less than is fair?

In the struggling economy, let's not forget that the dollar doesn't have it's original value. And when Ms. McGinley refers to teachers doubling their salary, she's referring to beginning teachers who start out with a low salary, become permanently certified, and obtain a masters' degree during the five-year contract period. Someone holding a masters' degree deserves to be paid more; if you want the best to teach your children, you must be willing to pay for the best. Otherwise, there should be no complaints when passing buildings go to failing on the state-wide test or when an Easton Area High School diploma means you received a second-rate education. The students can just explain to the world, "Sorry, nobody wanted to pay what it cost for me to have a decent education."